Window assembly and hinge therefor



Oct. 4, 1966 w. F; ROTHEMUND 3,276,069

WINDOW ASSEMBLY AND HINGE THEREFOR Filed NOV. 30, 1964 FIG.

5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR W/LHELMF'FUTHEMUND [5/ BY 7/ jg 49 F6 /5 6444M ATTORNEY Z5 Oct. 4, 1966 w. F. ROTHEMUND WINDOW ASSEMBLY AND HINGE THEREFOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 30, 1964 INVENTOR W/LHELM FFOU/EMl/ND BY Wm/fifi w ATTORNEY Oct. 4, 1966 w. F. ROTHEMUND WINDOW ASSEMBLY AND HINGE THEREFOR Filed Nov. 30, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 H HHH I INVENTOR W/LHELM F/WTHEMUND Q BY w /fimw ATTORNEY United States Patent Oflfice 3,276,069 WINDOW ASSEMBLY AND HINGE THEREFOR Wilhelm F. Rothernund, Flushing, N.Y., assignor to Samson Window Corporation, Woodside, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Nov. 30, 1964, Ser. No. 414,715

2 Claims. (Cl. 16-166) This invention relates to a window assembly and hinge therefor. More particularly, this invention relates to an improved window assembly and hinge for supporting a window of the horizontally pivoted type wherein a sash is pivotally supported in sealing relation of a vertically disposed frame by opposed bearing members fixed, respectively, to the inwardly directed vertical edges of the frame and to corresponding portions of the sash.

Still more particularly, this invention relates to an improved hinge and window structure employing the same, of the general type shown in United States Patent No. 2,928,116 of March 15, 1960.

Still more particularly, this invention relates to an improved hinge of the type which permits an initial rotation of the window sash to an intermediate or venting position and which permits still a further rotation in the same direction, placing the sash in a position to be removed from connection with the fixed hinge portions secured to the window frame.

Hinges of the type described are most frequently used where extremely large, and consequently heavy, sash assemblies are encountered, as exemplified by modern office buildings or the like. Often the sash carries two panes disposed in parallelism and, in some circumstances, auxiliary mechanisms, such as Venetian type blinds, are interposed between the glass panes.

From the foregoing it will be readily recognized that the sash structure including the panes and auxiliary mechanism will be extremely heavy, in some instances weighing upwards of four hundred pounds. The installation and removal of such sash structures from the sash receiving bearings has heretofore involved considerable problems and has been accomplished only with great difiiculty, which difficulty increases with the weight of the sash.

I have discovered that in large measure the difiiculties in installing and removing sashes from known hinge structures, as exemplified by the prior cited patent, are occasioned by the inability to insert and remove the sashes from the sash receiving mechanism while the sashes are disposed in a vertical position. I have determined that the problems involved are greatly magnified where even a very slight canting or outward tilting of the sash is necessary or may occur in the course of installing or removing the sash structure from the frame. I have found that where any such outward canting is permitted to occur, a high pivotal moment of force is encountered whereby the entire sash tends to pivot outwardly about its lowermost edge as an axis. Since windows of the type described are installed from the inside, it will be understood that there is no opportunity to counter the above mentioned outward pivoting forces since such counteraction or righting force would necessarily be applied to the outer face of the sash.

As the bearing portions of the sash and frame are typically engaged by manually lifting the sash assembly into position and as, in the course of such manual lifting, the lower edge of the sash and a side edge of the sash are gripped by the workers in installing the same, it will be evident that the forces which may be applied to combat the outward pivotal movement of the upper edge of the sash must necessarily be applied through a moment arm removed only a small distance from the Patented Oct. 4, 1966 lower edge of the sash. Thus, in combatting the outward movement of the upper edge of the sash, only a small mechanical advantage is available to the worker, and with increased tilting it becomes progressively more difiicult to prevent the sash from upsetting and falling out through the frame opening.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved window and bearing device or hinge therefor.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of the class described which will permit the window to be installed vand removed from the inside of a building without any outward tilting of the upper edge of the sash.

Still a further object of the invention is the provision of a novel hinge structure of the two-pin type for mounting a sash in a vertical frame opening, whereby the sash is guided into the fixed bearing portions mounted to the frame in such manner that no significant tilting of the frame is necessary or possible.

Still a further object of the invention is the provision of a window assembly wherein a sash may be seated from the inside into sash receiving bearing means fixed on the frame, the abutting relationship during mounting, first between the sash and frame, and subsequently between the hinge components and the sash and frame serving to prevent any relative tilting movement between the sash and the frame until after the sash has been properly seated in the sash receiving portions fixed to the frame.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a novel hinge of the type described which presents from the inside a clean assembly, sealed against the intrusion of air and moisture through the hinge structure, the structure including .a novel capping element which prevents an inadvertent or premature removal of the sash from the frame.

To attain these objects and such further objects as may appear herein or be hereinafter pointed out, I make reference to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of a sash and frame in accordance with the invention, from the inside and in the closed position thereof;

FIGURE 2 is a magnified fragmentary perspective view of the hinge structure of the invention in the closed position thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a magnified section taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view of .the fixed half of the hinge structure mounted to the inner face of a window frame;

FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view of the movable half of the hinge structure mounted to an outer vertical surface of a window sash;

FIGURE 6 is a vertical section taken on the line 6-6 of FIGURE 3, showing, respectively, in full lines and in dot and dash lines, the position of the hinge parts in the closed position and in the partially open position of the sash;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 8 is a view similar to FIGURE 7 showing .the position of the sash after the same has been rotated with respect to the frame.

FIGURE 9 is a magnified fragmentary section taken on the line 9-9 of FIGURE 8.

In accordance 'with the invention, there is shown in FIGURE 1 a hinge frame 10 in which there is pivotally mounted the usual sash 11 which carries a glass pane or panes 12. The sash 11 is pivotally mounted in the frame through the medium of an opposed pair of novel hinge assemblies 13, each of which incorporates a fixed bearing member mounted to an inwardly directed vertical face 16 of.the.frame.10, and a movable hinge member 17 mounted on an outwardly directed face 18 of the sash.

The fixed bearing member 15 which is secured to the frame portion 16, as by threaded bolts or the like, incorporates outer and inner bearing seats 19 and 20, respectively, forming the pivot supports for the trunnion or hearing pin members of the movable hinge element. Optionally but preferably, fixed bearing. member 15 may comprise an integral forgingor casting, seats 19 and 20 being defined by an inwardly directed web 21 extending from the back plate 22 of the fixed bearing member.

The outer and inner bearing seats 19 and 20 are up wardly open, the web 21 adjacent the outer seat preferably defining anarcuate clearance wall 23.

' The web 21 which defines the inner bearing seat is formed .to define generally vertically extending outer and inner guide walls 25, 26, respectively, the said Walls together defining a generally vertically extending channel or guideway 27 in the area vertically above the inner seat 20.

The wall 26 extends a considerable distance above the inner bearing seat 20, said wall terminating in an upper edge or lip 28 having an outwardly and downwardly beveled portion 29. The surface of the fixed bearing member 15 which lies adjacent the inner vertical sash portion preferably includes a locating shoulder 30 to assure a precise alignment of the bearing member with respect to the frame and to provide a secure anchoring of the bearing member against movement with respect thereto. As will be best seen from FIGURES 4 and 6, the inner bearing seat 20 is located inside of the plane defined by the innermost edge or face 16a of the frame portion 16.

The movable hinge element 17 which is fixed to the sash 11 similarly includes a back plate which may be fixed to the inner edge 36 of the sash, as by bolts, the side of the plate 35 adjacent the sash preferably inolud-ingalocatingj shoulder 37 which abuts against the inner face of the sash, positively to orient the member 17. The movable member 17 includes laterally directed inner and outer bearing pins 38, 39, respectively, which are preferably formed integrally with the back plate member 35.

Optionally but preferably, the pins 38, 39 which are normally formed of relatively soft, castable metal, are provided with cylindrical, wear-resistant sleeves 40, 41.

As best seen in FIGURE 4, the portion above the upper lip 28 of wall 26 is open, to provide vertical access to the area inward of the back plate 22 of the fixed hinge member. The space which is left by the open portion aforesaid is filled by a capping member 42 having a 'vertically directed inner wall 43 secured to the back plate 35 of the movable hinge member, as by a bolt 44. The downwardmost terminal portion 45 of the cap 42 is beveled outwardly and downwardly, outwardly to lap the bevel portion 29 adjacent the lip 28 of the fixed hinge member, as best seen in FIGURE 6.

From the magnified view of FIGURE 2, it will be seen that when the capping member is placed in the closed position of the window, a smooth appearance, free from significant breaks or apertures, is presented by the closed hinge assembly.

There is disclosed in FIGURE 6 in solid lines, the position of the outer and inner bearing pins 39, 38, respectively, in the outer and inner bearing seats 19, 20, respectively. From this view it will be evident that in the closed position of the window, the pin 38 is clear of seat 20 and the pin 39 rests on outer seat 19. When it is desired to shift the window to a venting position, shown in dot and dash lines in FIGURES 6 and 7, it is merely necessary to release the sash lock (not shown), thus to permit a relative pivotal movement between the sash and the frame. The initial pivotal movement aforesaid will take place about the axis of rotation of pin 39 and will result in lowering pin 38 from the solid to the dot and dash positions of FIGURE 6. It will be observed that such initial pivoting may be easily effected as it results in a lowering of the center of gravity of the sash, and the opening movement is aided by the weight of the sash, the weight additionally serving to stabilize the window in the partially open or venting position.

In order to remove the sash from the'frame, a pivotal movement in the same direction is continued, which pivotal movement will result in outer pin 39 being swung arcuately over the wall 23, said pivotal movement being effected about an axis of rotation defined by the center of the pin 38.

Due to the lowering of the entire window resulting from the change of pivots and to the positioning of the inner seat 20 at a point inside of the frame structure, the sash may be swung through a total angular movement of without interference between the formerly lower edge of the sash and the lower surface of the upper, horizontally disposed portion of the frame.

The position of the parts after 180 rotation is shown in FIGURE 8. I

As will be evident from FIGURE 9, the cover piece 42, in the 180 rotated position shown in FIGURES 8 and 9, will provide the only obstacle to a vertical lifting of the sash with respect to the frame and removal of such cover plate must be effected before it is possible to lift the sash clear of engagement with the fixed hinge. After removal of the cover piece, which is shown in dot and dash lines in FIGURE 9, the sash may be lifted vertically, there being possible, in the preferred embodiment, a slight inward tilting of the upper edge of the sash, such tilting being desirable where a greater spacing of the sash from the frame is sought, as for gripping.

In the initial lifting stages, it will be evident that no outward pivoting of the sash will be permitted by reason of the guiding influence provided by the guide channel 27 defined by wall surfaces 25, 26. Preferably, and as an additional safeguard, the distance D (see FIGURE 6) between the base of the seat 20 and the uppermost edge of the guide Wall 25 is greater than the spacing D (see FIGURE 8) between the lowermost edge of the upper portion of the frame and the uppermost edge of the inverted sash. When this relationship is present, it will be evident that if, through some accident, the sash is inclined slightly so that its upper edge is disposed outwardly beyond its lower edge, such tilting will result in the upper edge being disposed inwardly beneath a portion of the frame. Thus, the upper edge of the sash Will abut the frame and will prevent the sash from being lifted clear of the hinge member.

It will further be observed that in the use of the hinge device shown, there is no necessity to tilt the sash with respect to the frame and, thus, the sash may be lifted clear of engagement with the frame while the sash is disposed in a vertical orientation. In this regard, the hinge structure of the present invention differs from any hinge structure of this type heretofore known, all such other known structures positively requiring an inclination of the sash with respect to the frame to effect removal of the compl-emental hinge components.

From the foregoing it will be evident that to assemble a sash to a frame, the steps previously mentioned are carried out in reverse order. The sash, with the cover pieces 42 removed, is inverted and lifted over the fixed hinge portion until the inner pin 38 is disposed above the lip 28, the sash thereafter being lowered in the guide channel 27 until the pin rests on bearing seat 20. The sash may thereafter be rotated through 180 and the cover plates 42 reapplied, either before or after the rotating movement aforesaid.

While I have described the invention in conjunction with a two pin hinge assembly in which the inner seat 20 is disposed at a lower level than the outer seat 19 and the pins are disposed at the same level, the invention is not to be taken as limited to such a construction. Rather, it is equally practicable, in certain instances, to place the bearing seats on the same level and to dispose the inner pin member at a greater height than the outer pin member.

From the foregoing it will be seen that through the use of the novel hinge and window assemblies, the operation of assembling sashes within their comp lernental frames is greatly simplified. Further, the hinge and the window employing my novel hinge device provides an attractive and inexpensively manufactured assembly, prevents air leakage through the hinge members in the closed position of the sash, and greatly facilitates removal of the sash from the frame for repair, etc. without the attendant danger of the sash falling outwardly through the frame.

Having thus described the invention and illustrated its use, what is claimed as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A hinge structure for pivotally and removably mounting a sash in a vertical frame, comprising a fixed hinge plate mountable on a vertical part of said frame, with a portion projecting inwardly beyond said frame, inner and outer, laterally displaced, upwardly open bearing seats on said plate, a vertically directed, upwardly open guide channel leading to said inner seat, said channel being defined by inner and outer, generally vertically extending wall portions, the vertical extent of said channel being no greater than the spacing of said bearing seats, said inner wall portion terminating in a laterally directed lip, said lip having an outward bevel, a movable bearing member having a plate for mounting to a window sash, said plate including portions projecting inwardly beyond said sash, said plate having inner and outer bearing pin members spaced to correspond with the spacing of said bearing seats, said outer pin resting in said outer seat and said inner pin being disposed above said inner seat in the closed position of said hinge, a cover plate member removably mounted to said plate of said movable bearing member, said cover plate having a lower blocking portion disposed above and abutting said lip of said inner wall portion, said blocking portion having an inward bevel which outwardly laps the bevelled portion of said lip in the closed position of said hinge, said blocking portion, upon rotation of said sash with respect to said frame, lying directly beneath an inwardly projecting portion of said fixed bearing plate, thereby to limit upward relative movement of said sash in said frame while said cover plate is mounted to said movable bearing member.

2. A hinge structure for pivotally and removably mounting a sash in a vertical frame, comprising a fixed hinge plate mountable on a vertical part of said frame, with a portion projecting inwardly beyond said frame, inner and outer, laterally displaced, upwardly open bearing seats on said plate, a vertically directed, upwardly open guide channel leading to said inner seat, said channel being defined by inner and outer, generally vertically extending wall portions, the upper ends of said wall portions being clear of any overhanging relation with respect to said inner seat, the vertical extent of said channel being no greater than the spacing of said bearing seats, said inner wall portion terminating in a laterally directed lip, a movable bearing member having a plate for mounting to a window sash, said plate including portions projecting inwardly beyond said sash, said plate having inner and outer bearing pin members spaced to correspond with the spacing of said bearing seats, said outer pin resting in said outer seat and said inner pin being disposed above said inner seat in the closed position of said hinge, a cover plate member removably mounted to said plate of said movable bearing member, said cover plate having a lower blocking portion disposed above and abutting said lip of said inner wall portion, said blocking portion, upon rotation of said sash 180 with respect to said frame, lying directly beneath an inwardly projecting portion of said fixed bearing plate, thereby to limit upward relative movement of said sash in said frame while said cover plate is mounted to said movable bearing member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,221,058 11/1940 Persson 20-53 2,928,116 3/1960 Bengtsson 2053 X HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A HINGE STRUCTURE FOR PIVOTALLY AND REMOVABLY MOUNTING A SASH IN A VERTICAL FRAME, COMPRISING A FIXED HINGE PLATE MOUNTABLE ON A VERTICAL PART OF SAID FRAME, WITH A PORTION PROJECTING INWARDLY BEYOND SAID FRAME, INNER AND OUTER, LATERALLY DISPLACED, UPWARDLY OPEN BEARING SEATS ON SAID PLATE, A VERTICALLY DIRECTED, UPWARDLY OPEN GUIDE CHANNEL LEADING TO SAID INNER SEAT, SAID CHANNEL BEING DEFINED BY INNER AND OUTER, GENERALLY VERTICALLY EXTENDING WALL PORTIONS, THE VERTICAL EXTENT OF SAID CHANNEL BEING NO GREATER THAN THE SPACING OF SAID BEARING SEATS, SAID INNER WALL PORTION TERMINATING IN A LATERALLY DIRECTED LIP, SAID LIP HAVING AN OUTWARD BEVEL, A MOVABLE BEARING MEMBER HAVING A PLATE FOR MOUNTING TO A WINDOW SASH, SAID PLATE INCLUDING PORTION PROJECTING INWARDLY BEYOND SAID SASH, SAID PLATE HAVING INNER AND OUTER BEARING PIN MEMBERS SPACED TO CORRESPOND WITH THE SPACING OF SAID BEARING SEATS, SAID OUTER PIN RESTING IN SAID OUTER SEAT AND SAID INNER PIN BEING DISPOSED ABOVE SAID INNER SEAT AND IN THE CLOSED POSITION OF SAID HINGE, A COVER PLATE MEMBER REMOVABLY MOUNTED TO SAID PLATE OF SAID MOVABLE BEARING MEMBER, SAID COVER PLATE HAVING A LOWER BLOCKING PORTION DISPOSED ABOVE AND ABUTTING SAID LIP OF SAID INNER WALL PORTION, SAID BLOCKING PORTION HAVING AN INWARD BEVEL WHICH OUTWARDLY LAPS THE BEVELLED PORTION OF SAID LIP IN THE CLOSED POSITION OF SAID HINGE, SAID BLOCKING PORTION, UPON ROTATION OF SAID SASH 180* WITH RESPECT TO SAID FRAME, LYING DIRECTLY BENEATH AN INWARDLY PROJECTING PORTION OF SAID FIXED BEARING PLATE, THEREBY TO LIMIT UPWARD RELATIVE MOVEMENT OF SAID SASH IN SAID FRAME WHILE SAID COVER PLATE IS MOUNTED TO SAID MOVABLE BEARING MEMBER. 